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Cogitating the Song: Like I Am, by Rascal Flatts

First, I’d like to thank Kristine Cuer for recommending Rascal Flatts songs to me and also Lyssa for inspiring me to write about my faith.

I had the whole discography of Rascal Flatts in my computer, but I didn’t have the initiative to transfer them into my cell phone. It was until I heard the Leighton Meester’s cover of the song “Words I Couldn’t Say” that my interest was drawn to the band and discovered that they actually have a lot of meaningful songs.

One of my favorite Rascal Flatts songs is ‘Like I Am’. Yes, it’s a wonderful love songs about being loved for who you are. But as I listened to the song more and more, I realized that it’s not necessarily something dedicated to you by your lover, but it could be a song you dedicate to God, you father, who unconditionally loves you despite all your flaws and shortcomings that He sent us his only son, Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.

The chorus of the song goes like this:

When you say that I’m one of a kind Baby, I don’t see it but you believe it That I’m so strong and true, I promise you I’ll try to be that kind of man Because you love me like I am

This part of the song reminded me of what was instilled year after year in my CLF (Catholic Life Formation Classes) in high school. The year always open with a lesson about being created in God’s image and likeness. (Gosh, I miss CLF classes) I firmly believe that we, human beings are innately good as our Father in heaven is. Yes, we fall into sin but only because we went astray and we lost direction in life. We are blinded by materialism and greed and a beguiling security we feel with having the wealth, power and fame. Those times we committed sin, we lost our identity as children of God. We lost faith in ourselves that we could ever be good again.

I think that is why some people lost faith in Reconciliation. They think that they’ll never be forgiven. But they’re wrong, we are wrong, if we think that. Yes, we sin a lot, but God still loves us. Not because we are sinners, but because He knows that we are innately good like Him. God’s unconditional love for us, challenges us to live up to his expectation of us. We should try to be that kind of people; we should live out the inherent goodness we are created with because we are loved like we are.

For a long time, we have been sinners and we will remain that way. No amount of church attendaance, Bible reading and such would ever make us righteous in the eyes of the Father BUT only through the Son, our Lord Jesus. It is because of Jesus that we are made righteous in the eyes of God and we do not earn it. It is given to us for free, by grace without merit on our part. JESUS paid the ULTIMATE PRICE — something we could never pay back. What we are to do is ACCEPT Jesus and live how He wants us to live. Not because we are “good” coz we are not– we are sinners. But we are forgiven anyway and it’s all in the past now. We go live Christian lives not because we are good/righteous but because of Jesus’ sacrifice to us. We persevere to be righteous and that would be our testimony to the world. Amen! 🙂

and no, don’t thank me Jam. It was not me. I could write endless things about by love for God but it is God working through me. If my messages are effective and come across to other people, Praise the Lord!